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Joined: Jan 12, 2021

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7.5

This annual is a less impactful epilogue to the recent story in the main book, but it's yet another experimentation with the comics medium that's surely interesting.

Batman / Superman Annual: 2021

By: Gene Luen Yang, Francesco Francavilla
Released: Sep 1, 2021

The epic epilogue to the Archive of Worlds saga! In his pursuit of perfection, the godlike Auteur.io sought to create and destroy worlds with the wave of a hand and a flair for the dramatic. But against all odds...the World of the Knight and the World of Tomorrow live on! The Batman of the noir-tinged streets of Gotham City finds himself stranded i...

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TheKize reviewed Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1 Sep 7, 2021
7.0

I've been tepid on the direction of Batman under Tynion, but this issue sets up some intriguing threads to be developed in the Fear State event. Scarecrow is being used in an interesting and innovative way, and the concept of an anti-Oracle spreading misinformation in Gotham City sure has potential.

Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1

By: James Tynion IV, Riccardo Federici
Released: Sep 1, 2021

The event over a year in the making begins Fear State settles upon Gotham City, and no one is safe! Overwhelmed by the dual threat of the Scarecrow and Peacekeeper-01, Batman and his allies have been one step behind since the events of Infinite Frontier #0 and with the arrival of a mysterious anti-Oracle and the return of Poison Ivy, Batman might h...

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6.5

One of the better of the recent crop of DC anniversary anthologies that I've read, but the format of several eight-page standalone stories puts a firm ceiling on how great any of these books can be. Still, a nice time for anyone looking for an Aquaman fix until the various miniseries kick off in a month or two.

80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: Aquaman #1

By: Shawn Aldridge, Valentine De Landro
Released: Sep 1, 2021

After defending the seven seas for eight decades, it’s time to throw Aquaman a party! This all-star-filled anthology spans across the ocean king’s legacy, not just celebrating his own triumphs, but also those of his greatest allies and enemies. We look at his ongoing romance with Mera, his bitter rivalry with Black Manta, his brotherly conflict...

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TheKize reviewed Wonder Girl #3 Sep 7, 2021
4.5

Any momentum Yara Flor had from her Future State debut is surely gone by this point. Despite a brilliant character design and reliably great Joelle Jones art, the story is ambiguous when it needs clarity and meandering when it needs to move forward.

Wonder Girl #3

By: Joelle Jones
Released: Sep 1, 2021

Let the training commence! Now crowned Hera’s champion, Yara needs to start acting like one. Enter Eros, the goddess’s favorite grandson and the god of love. Can Yara resist his charms long enough to master her unpredictable new powers? All the gods are watching…are you?

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TheKize reviewed Superman: Son of Kal-El #2 Sep 3, 2021
2.0

Even if you agree with Tom Taylor's politics (and I tend to be sympathetic to much of what he's saying here), it's hard to imagine thinking this is a well written story. Taylor's metatextual commentary on gun violence is clear, but it has his characters saying and doing things that make no sense within the context of the fictional story. I am completely disappointed with this series.

Superman: Son of Kal-El #2

By: Tom Taylor, John Timms
Released: Aug 25, 2021

Jonathan Kent now dons his father’s cape, but can he be Superman and still have a normal life? It’s tough in this modern world. Danger is everywhere. The new Superman learns this the hard way on his first day of college, and a deadly attack forces Jon to step from the shadows and into the spotlight-where his identity is exposed to the Truth, an...

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Merlyn reviewed Superman: Son of Kal-El #2 Aug 24, 2021
1.0

Really, bullets with "thoughts and prayers"? I mean, I know it's Tom Taylor, stupidity is par for the course but come on, can it get more cringey? Nothing here seems all right, the way Jon scolds Clark, the way Clark accepts said scolding, the way Jon drops the refugees and he decides he's above all of it. The sanctimony of it, the complaining about "sTuPiD bOrDeRs", all of it it's just Tom Taylor more

Superman: Son of Kal-El #2

By: Tom Taylor, John Timms
Released: Aug 25, 2021

Jonathan Kent now dons his father’s cape, but can he be Superman and still have a normal life? It’s tough in this modern world. Danger is everywhere. The new Superman learns this the hard way on his first day of college, and a deadly attack forces Jon to step from the shadows and into the spotlight-where his identity is exposed to the Truth, an...

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PeteRick - Sep 13, 2021

All I'm asking is a fun and entertaining fucking book, I get tired from work, with my two kids, and people know how 7 years older are like, I just like to lay down and blow off some steam by reading my comics, without this political garbage, ain't enough that every channel I tune up there's this shit happening, it was supposed to be a break from reality, if DC keeps up with this agenda, I don't know if I'll stick around

Merlyn - Sep 14, 2021

That's my problem, too. These people don't understand that we want escapism. They're just so narcissistic that they think we actually want to hear their political opinions. We don't.

TheKize reviewed X-Men #2 Aug 16, 2021
8.0

I worry that the promise of HoX/PoX won't be fulfilled with Hickman becoming less and less involved, but the main X-book is in good hands with Duggan. This issue is full of exciting "synergy" uses of mutant powers, which makes it really feel like a team story. Sunfire gets an unexpectedly emotional spotlight at the conclusion that I quite enjoyed.

X-Men #2

By: Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz
Released: Aug 4, 2021

ALWAYS BET ON X!
As threats hurtle toward the Earth from all sides, the fearless X-Men fight a seemingly unstoppable wave of annihilation...but even more dangerous threats lurk in the darkness, ready to strike in secret.
Rated T+

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ICC reviewed Batman '89 #1 Aug 11, 2021
7.0

Doesn’t really have that special tone that the movie had. Not bad necessarily but so far it just feels like a generic Batman story with a few familiar faces and a fresh coat of paint

Batman '89 #1

By: Sam Hamm, Joe Quinones
Released: Aug 11, 2021

Step back into the Gotham of Tim Burton’s seminal classic Batman movies! Batman ’89 brings in screenwriter Sam Hamm (Batman, Batman Returns) and artist Joe Quinones (Dial H for Hero) to pull on a number of threads left dangling by the prolific director. Gotham becomes torn in two as citizens dressed as Batman and The Joker duke it out in the st...

TheKize reviewed Batman '89 #1 Aug 16, 2021
6.0

There's no denying the appeal of seeing the visual style of Batman '89 again. Quinones, as always, is brilliant, and the Keaton Bat-suit is just amazing. But this feels more like a continuation of Sam Hamm's vision for the Batman story rather than a return to the bizarre world of Tim Burton, which I think is much of the appeal of those films. This comic just isn't weird enough.

Batman '89 #1

By: Sam Hamm, Joe Quinones
Released: Aug 11, 2021

Step back into the Gotham of Tim Burton’s seminal classic Batman movies! Batman ’89 brings in screenwriter Sam Hamm (Batman, Batman Returns) and artist Joe Quinones (Dial H for Hero) to pull on a number of threads left dangling by the prolific director. Gotham becomes torn in two as citizens dressed as Batman and The Joker duke it out in the st...

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TheKize reviewed Action Comics #1033 Jul 29, 2021
7.5

This continues to be a solid Superman story that touches on international politics and a refugee crisis. And while that setup has the potential to enslave itself to heavy handed left or right ideologies, PKJ isn't playing it that straight.

Action Comics #1033

By: Becky Cloonan, Michael Avon Oeming
Released: Jul 28, 2021

Atlantis is under attack! Taking in the Warworld refugees also means taking possession of the deadly Warworld tech they brought with them, and holding that much power makes the undersea kingdom a threat to the rest of the world. Can Superman move fast enough to prevent all-out war? Doing so may mean taking the power into his own hands…Meanwhile, ...

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TheKize reviewed Strange Adventures #11 Jul 29, 2021
5.5

The artwork in this series continues to be amazing, and the writing is well-crafted for a slow burn story. But I just can't get on board with a DC series that seems to have as its principle aim to portray a longstanding hero as deceptive and amoral. It's just not as interesting as the publisher seems to think it is.

Strange Adventures #11

By: Tom King, Mitch Gerads
Released: Jul 28, 2021

Adam Strange may save the world, but can he save his marriage?
There are things that happened in the original war with the marauding Pykkts that Adam never told his wife, Alanna, and she wants answers now. Adding fuel to the fire is the possibility that he didn’t just deceive her, but entire galactic civilizations, in his quest for victory...

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Merlyn - Jul 29, 2021

Thank you, someone here gets it!

TheKize reviewed Superman: Son of Kal-El #1 Jul 29, 2021
5.0

I'm not as impressed as many folks seem. I thought there was a lot of telling versus showing regarding Jon's potential to surpass his father as Superman. It's not clear to me why this series is starting now, or what it's actually about. I get that eventually we are to expect that Clark Kent will no longer be on Earth, but right now he's still doing his normal thing, not having left for Warworld ye more

Superman: Son of Kal-El #1

By: Tom Taylor, John Timms
Released: Jul 28, 2021

Jonathan Kent has experienced a lot in his young life. He’s traveled the galaxies with his Kryptonian grandfather and lived in the future with the Legion of Super-Heroes, who were intent on training him for the day his father, Clark Kent, could no longer be Superman. There is a hole in the Legion’s history that prevents Jon from knowing exactly...

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TheKize reviewed X-Men #20 Jun 1, 2021
9.0

This series almost never fails to deliver, but when it picks up on subplots seeded back in House of X, it really succeeds. This issue is one of those.

X-Men #20

By: Jonathan Hickman, Francesco Mobili
Released: May 26, 2021

SYSTEM ONLINE.
Processing.
Rated T+

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TheKize reviewed Action Comics #1031 Jun 1, 2021
7.5

The refugee story in this issue mirrors somewhat recent politics in an interesting way, while reinforcing Mongul's status as a significant and formidable Superman villain.

Action Comics #1031

By: Becky Cloonan, Michael Avon Oeming
Released: May 26, 2021

“Warworld Rising” part two! After a war-torn battleship escapes Warworld and makes the perilous journey to Earth, Superman searches for answers about the identities of its mysterious refugees and their apparent link to the planet Krypton. Could there be other Kryptonians in the universe? Meanwhile, Atlantean scientists study the wreckage of the...

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TheKize reviewed Batman / Superman #18 Jun 1, 2021
9.0

While this feels mainly like a vehicle to play around in some alternate timelines based on the 40's Superman and Batman movie serials, the events of the present-day main DC Universe are still quite interesting too! Ivan Reis may be doing career best work here.

Batman / Superman #18

By: Gene Luen Yang, Jos Lus
Released: May 26, 2021

The Dark Knight and the Man of Steel are on a mission to stop the godlike Auteur.io from destroying the pocket worlds he’s created...but where on Earth did Auteur.io even come from? The answer starts not on Earth at all, but with an ancient cult of World Forger worshippers on a planet far away-and if our heroes are to have a prayer of stopping th...

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TheKize reviewed Strange Adventures #10 Jun 1, 2021
8.0

I'm still reserving judgment on the series as a whole until its conclusion, but Tom King and the gang certainly did a nice job with the pacing and intrigue in this issue!

Strange Adventures #10

By: Tom King, Mitch Gerads
Released: May 26, 2021

Once upon a time on Rann, Adam Strange made a deal with his neighbors and foes to take a stand against the invading Pykkts. Now, on Earth, he is trying to do the same thing: to get all the heroes to rise as one to keep the marauders from doing to his home planet what they already did to his adopted one. But the original deal was a devil’s bargain...

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TheKize reviewed Justice League #61 May 24, 2021
6.5

One of the best stories DC is publishing...the Justice League Dark backups, that is. The headline story is a little better this month than it has been, but the only reason to plop down $5 a month for this series remains the Merlin story by Ram V and Xermanico. The library scene this issue contains an amazing concept both in story and its artistic presentation.

Justice League #61

By: Brian Michael Bendis, Xermanico
Released: May 19, 2021

The new Justice League is trapped on a world devastated by a super-powered war, and Brutus hungers for a new home of his own-our Earth! With their powers gone haywire, the League must fight their way out of a post apocalyptic Thunderdome of depravity and desperation. On the run with Batman, Naomi learns more dark secrets of her birth world’s brok...

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TheKize reviewed Wonder Girl #1 May 20, 2021
7.0

Joelle Jones does the art on this, so you know it looks amazing. The downside is that all of her writing ticks are here as well, featuring strained narrative across long stretches of pages and one-liners that feel forced. This series will need an extra dose of urgency in its plotting in order to live up to the potential of its promising lead character.

Wonder Girl #1

By: Joelle Jones
Released: May 19, 2021

The story of Yara Flor starts here!
Raised in the faroff land of Boise, Idaho, Yara Flor has always felt something was missing from her life-and now she is headed to Brazil to find it. Little does she know her arrival will set off a series of events that will change the world of Wonder Woman forever. Her return has been prophesied, and wit...

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TheKize reviewed Nightwing #80 May 20, 2021
7.5

This run of Nightwing looks beautiful and couldn't be better in tone. Some of Redondo's action sequences this issue are breaktaking in their innovation. If I have a gripe, it's that the story of this arc feels too small. I love the hangout time we get to spend with Dick, Barbara, and Tim, but the conflict and villain so far just aren't compelling.

Nightwing #80

By: Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo
Released: May 19, 2021

Dick Grayson’s always had a big heart. From protecting those persecuted by bullies in his youth, to combating evil alongside Batman as Robin, to pledging his newly inherited wealth to enriching Blüdhaven as Nightwing-his kindness and generosity have always guided his life. But now a new villain stalks the back alleys of Blüdhaven, removing the ...

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TheKize reviewed Catwoman #31 May 20, 2021
7.5

V, Blanco, and Bellaire are dependable as always in this issue that has all the charm of the third act of a heist film.

Catwoman #31

By: Ram V, Fernando Blanco
Released: May 19, 2021

Catwoman and Shoes have crashed Mr. Roy’s home art gallery opening, but they aren’t there to nick a Klimt or a Monet. No, they’re after the newest addition to Mr. Roy’s esteemed collection: a large test tube containing Poison Ivy! But how did Pamela get in this predicament in the first place, what was done to her, and why does she seem...di...

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TheKize reviewed Fantastic Four: Life Story #1 May 20, 2021
7.0

Given the provocative work Mark Russell tends to put out, I expected something with more teeth than the perfectly nice FF origin story once again retold here. It's good enough, but in this first issue, the series hasn't yet differentiated itself from the multiple remixes of these characters we've gotten in comics and movies in the past 15 years.

Fantastic Four: Life Story #1

By: Mark Russell, Sean Izaakse
Released: May 19, 2021

In the tradition of SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY, and in celebration of the FF's 60th Anniversary, comes this series setting the lives of the fabulous foursome in real time across the years!
Amid the backdrop of the Cold War and the Space Race, a terrible accident gives the Fantastic Four great powers, a terrible secret, and entangles them in the his...

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TheKize reviewed Batman #108 May 17, 2021
8.0

Look, I as much as anyone thinks Miracle Molly has the dumbest outfit possible. I highly doubt she's the sensational character find of 2021. But in this issue we do see the plot moving forward in an interesting way, and I'm on board for what is essentially a Ghost-Maker manga in the backup story.

Batman #108

By: James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez
Released: May 5, 2021

Batman goes undercover to infiltrate the transhumanist gang known as the Unsanity Collective and learn more about their sudden appearance in Gotham. And what nefarious plans does Simon Saint have for Arkham Day survivor Sean Mahoney? How does it connect to the Magistrate?
And in part two of the action-packed, bone-rattling Ghost-Maker backu...

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TheKize reviewed Superman #31 May 17, 2021
6.5

This series continues to rely on padded out stories with a lot of ponderous narration, but this issue at least has a fairly good plot twist. I also suspect the building of the relationship between Superman and Jon we see here will pay off with what's been announced for later this summer in the Superman line.

Superman #31

By: Phillip K. Johnson, Sami Basri
Released: May 12, 2021

“The One Who Fell” part two! Thought to have been defeated long ago by Superman and his allies, the ancient Shadowbreed have returned in a horrifying new form, and Superman’s oldest ally has been assimilated into their ranks. As Jon and the besieged new Thakkramite leader search for the key that will help them defeat the creatures, Superman r...

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7.0

Just about every story is fun. Although, as with most of these anthologies, there's a lot of sameness here that keeps many of the shorts here from being memorable. The exception may be the Catwoman story, which seems to actually be a pivotal chapter in the Ram V/Fernando Blanco run.

DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1

By: Aniz Adam Ansari, Gurihiru
Released: May 12, 2021

Grab your favorite boba and pull a chair up to the dim sum table as we celebrate Asian Heritage Month with all your favorite Asian DC characters, old and new! Join Cassandra Cain, Katana, Green Lantern Tai Pham, the Atom, Dana Tan (a.k.a. Batman Beyond), Red Arrow, Lady Shiva, Damian Wayne and the al Ghul clan, New Super-Man, and more as we present...

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TheKize reviewed The Joker #3 May 13, 2021
9.0

A detective noir that shifts into a globe-trotting action-adventure featuring enough Courts of Owls and Banes to keep it firmly in the world of DC Comics Batman.

The Joker #3

By: Sam Johns, Mirka Andolfo
Released: May 12, 2021

The hunt for The Joker is under way, as Jim Gordon heads to a remote part of South America to run down a lead...and comes face-to-face with the Clown Prince of Crime himself! The mystery around A-Day deepens, but not before an attack by the blood-thirsty Sampson family!
And in the Punchline backup story, Punchline has to face off against th...

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TheKize reviewed Nightwing #79 Apr 29, 2021
8.0

Nothing but warmth and goodness coming from this phase of Dick Grayson comics. The bright and beautiful art couldn't match the story better!

Nightwing #79

By: Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo
Released: Apr 21, 2021

Dick Grayson has inherited Alfred’s fortune, a puppy, and a whole lot of questions. Who is Mayor Zucco, and what is her relation to the man who murdered Dick’s parents? What sinister plans does Blockbuster have for Blüdhaven? What kind of dog food is best for a three-legged puppy? To answer these questions, Dick’s going to need a little help...

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TheKize reviewed Catwoman #30 Apr 29, 2021
7.5

The Ram V/Fernando Blanco run of Catwoman features both a heavy dose of the colorful Gotham rogues gallery and a grounded, street-level story. It's the kind of Bat-adjacent comic you'd have gotten in the early 2000s, which is a high compliment in my book.

Catwoman #30

By: Ram V, Fernando Blanco
Released: Apr 21, 2021

The Riddler revealed that he knows details about Poison Ivy’s whereabouts. Now, after the Riddler has been gravely wounded, Catwoman brings him to be patched up by Alleytown’s less-than-scrupulous medics. Now on the mend, Riddler points Selina in Ivy’s direction-but is he telling the truth, or wrapping her up in another one of his riddles? Me...

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TheKize reviewed Batman / Superman #17 Apr 29, 2021
8.5

I'm continuing to love the film strip/movie serial story segments, and this issue adds a compelling conflict to the "real world" narrative as well.

Batman / Superman #17

By: Gene Luen Yang, Ivan Reis
Released: Apr 28, 2021

In a world where Superman’s rocket never reached Earth, the Dark Knight and his sidekick discover a startling rift between dimensions. On the other side? A world where Martha Wayne survived, and Bruce never grew up to be Batman! Not only that, but a strange alien has emerged from the rift who’s faster than a locomotive and can leap tall buildin...

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TheKize reviewed Action Comics #1030 Apr 29, 2021
7.0

Probably the strongest Phillip K. Johnson Superman issue so far. The direction of this series finally seems clear, and some context is given to the two-part Breach storyline that initially seemed like an odd way to open the run.

Action Comics #1030

By: Becky Cloonan, Michael Avon Oeming
Released: Apr 28, 2021

“Warworld Rising” starts here! A new chapter in Superman’s life begins as the challenges of Dark Nights: Death Metal are causing Clark Kent to feel...a change in his powers. Is it possible the Metropolis Marvel could be losing a step? His struggles in taking down the creatures from the Breach would suggest as much! If he’s going to continue...

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TheKize reviewed The Joker #2 Apr 21, 2021
8.5

Crime noir at its finest, steeped in Batman lore.

The Joker #2

By: Sam Johns, Mirka Andolfo
Released: Apr 14, 2021

As the dust settles on Arkham Asylum and tragic recent events, The Joker is the most wanted man in the world-and powerful forces are lining up around the globe to hunt him...but where exactly is the Clown Price of Crime? Jim Gordon, facing his twilight years haunted by the madman, knows where to start the hunt, and he’s been given the go-ahead to...

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